http://www.digitalaudiovideo.com Movie, Game, and Hardware News and Releases http://www.digitalaudiovideo.com/bluray_reviews_15146.htm Oliver Stone has an experimental, and consequently an often annoying approach to filmmaking. Nowhere was that more evident than U-Turn, but his football drama Any Given Sunday almost crosses the line into annoying. But it manages to be entertaining enough that you can forget those inequities. Al Pacino is Tony D’Amato, an old- school football coach who’s been in the game for years. Younger faces are coming into their own, attempting to run things they don’t fully understand. Jamie Foxx... Tue, 03 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT 15146 http://www.digitalaudiovideo.com/bluray_reviews_15145.htm Have I ever told my Guy Ritchie story? Well, way back in the day- about ten years ago or so. I was thirteen, in the eighth grade. I was pretty nerdy, and I was in the Peachtree film society. Every month, there would be a different interesting little movie to see. Well, Guy Ritchie and his producers were showing Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels. After it was over, they took questions. I don’t remember much, except that some uppity douche in the audience asked some retarded question ... Sat, 31 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT 15145 http://www.digitalaudiovideo.com/bluray_reviews_15142.htm As we saw in all the pre-release coverage of this film, King Kong is the movie that made Peter Jackson want to become a filmmaker. He made a Super 8 short version of the film as a young man, and it was always his dream to make a huge budget remake of the picture. All he had to do was churn out hundreds of millions of dollars in profit to the movie studios with his Lord of the Rings pictures, then he would have carte blanche. It's a shame that for all the hype, overall King Kong is a disappoin... Thu, 29 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT 15142 http://www.digitalaudiovideo.com/bluray_reviews_15143.htm There’s a new franchise in town. Step aside, Mr. Bond- Mr. Bourne is in town. Matt Damon is the super spy for the post-9/11 world. Paranoia abounds, as does violence for violence’s sake. Bond’s outdated. There’s no more showdowns on the snowy streets of Moscow, or in Lisbon or Paris in any kind of glamorous way. This war is anything but glamorous. America is traveling the world and imposing its will, right or wrong. Bourne is the embodiment of that. He’s lost everything, even his identity. He... Thu, 29 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT 15143 http://www.digitalaudiovideo.com/bluray_reviews_15144.htm Yes, Max Payne is a film based on a videogame. Now, generally I would write it off without ever even having to view it. But, I gave it a chance- for two reasons. One, I give Mark Wahlberg the benefit of the doubt because he generally favors projects that maintain some entertainment value. Second, there is a strong possibility that I am in love with Mila Kunis. At the end of the day, Max Payne falls somewhere in between my worst and most hopeful expectations. If you think you’re walkin... Thu, 29 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT 15144 http://www.digitalaudiovideo.com/bluray_reviews_15147.htm The Notebook is one of those 13 year old girl movies. They won’t stop talking about them. My niece is like that. I don’t know if its specifically The Notebook, but she won’t ever stop talking about the damn Jonas brothers. The film unfolds in two time frames featuring the same characters. In the modern day scenes, Noah is played by James Garner and Allie by Gena Rowlands (the director's mother). In the sequences that transpire around World War II, the leads are Ryan Gosling and Rachel McA... Wed, 28 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT 15147 http://www.digitalaudiovideo.com/bluray_reviews_15140.htm Event Horizon is one of those 90’s gems that’s always fun to watch and extra terrifying when you’re stoned. I only know that from a long time ago, not recently. Science fiction is fun to watch, but it’s too difficult to find decent ones to watch. Sam Neil is an outstanding villain. And Laurence Fishburne is always fun to watch. The year is 2047. A rescue mission has been dispatched to the vicinity of Neptune, where seven years earlier a deep space research vessel named Event Horizon dis... Sat, 27 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT 15140 http://www.digitalaudiovideo.com/bluray_reviews_15141.htm Oh dear mother of mercy. This is the worst thing I’ve seen in a while. Now, don’t get me wrong, I dig on some ABBA. Dancing Queen, that Fernando song, Take a Chance on Me and everything. But not a movie! Two hours of ABBA songs. Meryl Streep can’t help it. My limit for ABBA music is at the most ten minutes. Is their name supposed to be all caps like that? Who knows, anyway. Its too late to change it. The movie’s really a backdrop for the music. The action is set on a Greek i... Sat, 27 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT 15141 http://www.digitalaudiovideo.com/bluray_reviews_15137.htm What a classic. I'm so glad they're releasing a worthy older movie on the high definition format. Its absolutely impossible not to adore this movie and enjoy every single second of it. I've probably seen it about twenty times and I never tire of it. So many classic scenes and lines of dialogue from that film have become a part of the American consciousness that even if you have not seen this movie you can still spit out its quotes. "Play it, Sam", "We'll always have Paris", "Here's looking at... Sun, 21 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT 15137 http://www.digitalaudiovideo.com/bluray_reviews_15138.htm I know a lot of people disagree with me, but I hate The Mummy franchise. So dear reader, keep that in mind while you read this review. Its simply not my cup of tea. I usually like Brendan Fraser, but I simply don't care for him in this. I know its probably just my cynicism rising to the surface, and I should just sit back and enjoy. I understand that its supposed to be fun, I get it. We see the impact of Indiana Jones on all of The Mummy films. But its simply nowhere near the level of goo... Sun, 21 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT 15138 http://www.digitalaudiovideo.com/bluray_reviews_15139.htm Oliver Stone’s JFK was a landmark in filmmaking. As far as editing for suspense, its almost unmatched. Stone is a truly excellent filmmaker with skill unmatched by most. JFK is excellent, edge-of-your-seat entertainment. But as for as historical accuracy goes, its one of the greatest travesties in the history of film. The story of Jim Garrison, the pioneering rebel from New Orleans who dared to take on the establishment and bring charges against someone for the assassination of John F. ... Sun, 21 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT 15139 http://www.digitalaudiovideo.com/bluray_reviews_15132.htm In film history, its hard to find a sequel that’s superior to the original. A few come to mind. The Godfather Part 2, Aliens, and now The Dark Knight. Christopher Nolan’s follow-up to Batman Begins is definitely the best superhero film I’ve ever seen. Its dark and layered, and it of course features one of the best performances of the year. Christian Bale returns as Bruce Wayne, fully embracing his role as savior of Gotham. His romance with Rachel fizzled out due to his dual life. T... Sun, 30 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT 15132 http://www.digitalaudiovideo.com/bluray_reviews_15133.htm Its back. Disney has finally re-released the never re-releasable Sleeping Beauty. Now its no high definition Blu-ray. The classic two dimensional cartoon! Now in high definition! Actually, it really is cool to see an old timey cartoon in this format. Sleeping Beauty tells the story of a king and queen whose baby is cursed by a malevolent witch with the promise that before the child's 16th birthday she'll prick her finger on a spinning wheel and die! The bad lady (Eleanor Audrey), one ... Sun, 30 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT 15133 http://www.digitalaudiovideo.com/bluray_reviews_15134.htm Will Smith is a Scientologist now, right? That’s what I heard anyway. It was probably Tom Cruise who made it happen. Its unfortunate, because I’m in love with the Fresh Prince. Even though his new movie leaves a good deal to be desired. I was disappointed, to say the least. Peter Berg directs. He’s a talented filmmaker. I enjoyed The Kingdom, as well as Friday Night Lights. Will Smith is the crappiest superhero on the planet. John Hancock is the most hated person in Los Angeles, as... Sun, 30 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT 15134 http://www.digitalaudiovideo.com/bluray_reviews_15135.htm Vince Vaughn is an odd character. If only because he’s merely one character always. Kind of the douchey and aloof dude. He now plays the brother of Santa Claus, the black sheep of the family. Fred Claus has lived his entire life in his brother's very large shadow. Fred tried, but could hardly live up to the example set by the younger Nicholas, who was just a perfect, well, saint. True to form, Nicholas (a.k.a Santa Claus) grew up to be the model of giving, while Fred became the polar oppo... Sun, 30 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT 15135 http://www.digitalaudiovideo.com/bluray_reviews_15136.htm Wanted really looked like a terrible movie when I saw the trailers for it. But every once in awhile you get a surprise. It’s a really fun and weird little action movie that I could see enjoying multiple times. Its not great or anything, but its incredibly creative. James McAvoy is Wesley Gibson, a young man searching for himself. He discovers that his father was one of the greatest assassins of all time. Fox (Angelina Jolie) recruits him into a secret society of hitmen. . When his fa... Sun, 30 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT 15136 http://www.digitalaudiovideo.com/bluray_reviews_15131.htm Can I even discuss this? Southland Tales? Richard Kelly? The Rock? Who cares? Barack Obama won. Sarah Palin has to go back to Alaska! Who would have conceived this possibility? Half a century ago, a black man couldn’t vote in many parts of this country. Now, a black man will be leading this country. Every attack they launched against him, every repetition proved fruitless. William Ayers, Jeremiah Wright, none of it mattered. Because what they didn’t realize is that when the countr... Wed, 05 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT 15131 http://www.digitalaudiovideo.com/bluray_reviews_15129.htm Oftentimes, if only to register shock on my father’s face, I like to point out that I’m not actually too big a fan of James Bond. I like to point out that I’m of the opinion that John Shaft could wipe the floor with James Bond anyday. Though I was pleasantly surprised with Casino Royale, the twenty or so Bond films don’t really transfer too well nowadays. However, Sean Connery did do something special with the role. He embodied the cool of that persona like no one else. And Thunderba... Tue, 04 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT 15129 http://www.digitalaudiovideo.com/bluray_reviews_15128.htm I suppose this is some sort of throwback to the Roger Corman 60’s films full of fast rides and faster women. Those are definitely interesting movies to watch. Some are even halfway decent, like The Intruder. But mostly they’re all flash and no substance. But that was okay, because Corman was an original. However, when you do basically the same thing but 40 years later, that originality goes out the window, and all you’re left is bored. ‘Presented by Quentin Tarantino’ is a much more c... Sun, 02 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT 15128 http://www.digitalaudiovideo.com/bluray_reviews_15124.htm This is a great movie. One of my favorites. I've probably seen it fifty times, and that's not including the 24 hour TBS marathon on Christmas. You've probably seen it as well. In my opinion, not seeing this movie is like spitting on the flag. And who wants to be spitting on the flag at Christmas time? This is the story of Ralphie, a ten year old growing up in 1940's Indiana, and his epic quest for the perfect Christmas gift. The object of his obsession is an authentic Red Ryder BB gun. Whe... Sat, 01 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT 15124 http://www.digitalaudiovideo.com/bluray_reviews_15125.htm I’m glad these discs finally came in. I started watching Chuck recently, and kind of have been hooked since. I knew the basics of what had happened in season one, but now I’m much better informed. I know it’s only an adventure comedy type of show, but it still is pretty well written and layered, so it helps having seen season one. When Chuck (Zachary Levi) a twenty-something computer geek inadvertently downloads critical government secrets into his brain, his former college friend turne... Sat, 01 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT 15125 http://www.digitalaudiovideo.com/bluray_reviews_15126.htm Abigail Breslin is the new Dakota Fanning. That’s right, there’s a new one. A cute little girl who can actually act is hard to come by. She was even nominated for an Oscar, which I did think was kind of weird. Anyway, here new movie is one for the whole family. Kit Kittredge: An American Girl . In the midst of the depression, 10 year old Kit lives in a boarding house her parents own in Cincinnati, Ohio. She has a passion for writing, and dreams of having something of hers put in the... Sat, 01 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT 15126 http://www.digitalaudiovideo.com/bluray_reviews_15127.htm As the film opens, we see three women being interrogated by the police. In flashback, we see three years earlier. Bridget (Diane Keaton) lived a comfortable upper class life until her husband Don (Ted Danson) was fired from his position and sunk into debt. To make ends meet, Bridget takes a job at the Federal Reserve. On her first day, Bridget hatches a scheme to steal damaged dollar bills slated for destruction. For her team she chooses Nina (Queen Latifah), who works the dollar bill... Sat, 01 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT 15127 http://www.digitalaudiovideo.com/bluray_reviews_15111.htm In his heyday of owning the planet, Steven Spielberg produced Poltergeist. He tapped Tobe Hooper, director of the ridiculously unsettling Texas Chainsaw Massacre, to make the PG rated Poltergeist. The youngest daughter of the Freeling family, Carol Anne (Heather O'Rourke), seems to be connecting with the supernatural through a dead channel on the televison. It is not for long when the mysterious beings enter the house's walls. At first seeming like harmless ghosts, they play tricks and am... Tue, 21 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT 15111 http://www.digitalaudiovideo.com/bluray_reviews_15112.htm did not enjoy Constantine. It is in the vein of super crappy satan films like Stigmata and End of Days. Keanu Reeves, one of the worst actors in Hollywood, is of course the star. He plays John Constantine. I think he's some sort of angel cast down to hell attempting to work his way back into heaven by killing a whole lot of demons. Rachel Weisz, an excellent actress, does a good job but it is pointless in a film like this. She plays Angela Dodson. Angela's sister committed suicide appare... Tue, 21 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT 15112 http://www.digitalaudiovideo.com/bluray_reviews_15113.htm Romancing the Stone is a love story, and an Indiana Jones-esque adventure directed by Robert Zemeckis. Its an excellent film. It won the Golden Globe for best picture and Kathleen Turner won a Golden Globe for her performance. Critics love to use the words 'rip-roaring' to describe a film, and if any movie is rip-roaring, its this one. Kathleen Turner plays Joan Wilder, a romance novelist from New York. She discovers that her sister Elaine's husband was killed in Colombia, and Elaine is st... Tue, 21 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT 15113 http://www.digitalaudiovideo.com/bluray_reviews_15114.htm The Jewel of the Nile is the sequel to Romancing the Stone. Its basically the same movie, which is good because Romancing The Stone was a good one. There's trouble in paradise with the romance between Colton (Douglas) and Joan (Turner). She wants to settle down and he wants to continue traveling around the world, seeking adventure. A wealthy Arab (Spiros Focas) invites Joan to travel to the Middle East. Jack bails out and chooses to sail around the Mediterranean instead. But of course ther... Tue, 21 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT 15114 http://www.digitalaudiovideo.com/bluray_reviews_15102.htm Ang Lee’s Hulk was a disappointment to fans of comics everywhere, not just in the box office receipts. The Hulk is one of the flagship A-List comic book heroes, and although Lee’s attempt at the Hulk was certainly bold, it was too mired in Lee trying to be too artistic, whereas he could’ve left it at “Hulk Smash” and been good. Early this year, director Louis Leterrier (The Transporter) was hired by Universal and Marvel to do a reboot of the franchise. 2008’s The Incredible Hulk isn’t nece... Mon, 20 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT 15102 http://www.digitalaudiovideo.com/bluray_reviews_15103.htm Drugs have had an unbelievable effect on America in the last fifty years. Crime is up. Murder is up. Everything's related to drugs. The heroin craze of the 50's, 60's, and 70's is an interesting story to tell. Mobsters in New York, junkies on the street, and Frank Lucas on top of the pyramid. Well, let's not get into how inaccurate this movie is technically. When it comes to history, American Gangster is all over the place. But when it comes to entertainment, this is one of the most exciting ... Mon, 20 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT 15103 http://www.digitalaudiovideo.com/bluray_reviews_15104.htm David Croenberg’s follow-up to A History of Violence is an unflinching and brutal crime drama sure to be remembered for years to come. Viggo Mortnesen’s performance as the ruthless Nikolai in a world of brutal Russian gangsters is astounding. That performance, along with the excellent work of the supporting cast, the excellent script, and beautiful directing, are what drives this unrelenting and uncompromising film. Anna (Naomi Watts) is a British midwife who comes across the diary of an a... Mon, 20 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT 15104